BIOACTIVE CONSTITUENTS AND THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF CAPPARIS ZEYLANICA LINN

Dhanashri S. Chavan, Mayuri Y. Choundikar*, Kiran A. Wadkar, Atharv S. Chougule, Rohan R. Bhokare, Priyadarshani P. Patil, Gayatri S. Chavan

Background: Capparis zeylanica Linn. is an important medicinal climber extensively used in traditional medicine for treating inflammatory disorders, infections, diabetes, gastrointestinal ailments, and other diseases. Objective: This review summarizes the phytochemical constituents, traditional uses, pharmacological activities, and therapeutic potential of C. zeylanica while highlighting future research opportunities. Methods: Published literature was collected from scientific databases including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science using keywords related to Capparis zeylanica, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and ethnomedicine. Results: The plant contains flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, sterols, glycosides, terpenoids, and spermidine alkaloids. These phytoconstituents are responsible for experimentally validated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, anti-ulcer, and anticancer activities. Conclusion: Current evidence supports the therapeutic potential of C. zeylanica; however, comprehensive phytochemical characterization, toxicity evaluation, pharmacokinetic investigations, and well-designed clinical studies are required before clinical application. "This review demonstrates that flavonoids, spermidine alkaloids, phenolic acids, and sterols are the principal bioactive constituents responsible for multiple experimentally validated pharmacological activities."